Retrieve what has been lost(Fruits Basket verse)
by AmberBreath
Summary: The Sohma's salvation comes in the form of an otherworldly person named Harmony, whom might be the person who breaks the curse
1. Chapter 1

_Retrieve what has been lost: Fruits Basket Verse verse_

The clopping of my hooves echoed in the vast hallway of the Canterlot castle as I marched with a steady pace to the courtroom, my presence requested by the princess Celestia. I greeted my brothers in arms with a nod upon my arrival at the doors of the courtroom. They opened the doors with the aid of their magi and I proceeded to step inside. I found both princesses and my friends waiting for me upon my arrival. All means of professionalism dropped as I trotted over to my 6 friends excitedly. It has been a long time since I've seen all of them together. Their greetings though…Instead of joyous squeals and hugs; I was greeted with half-hearted hellos and hesitant smiles. I knew something was out of place, especially if even Pinkie Pie was quiet. A frown marred my equine features, something wasn't right. I shifted my emerald gaze up to Celestia and Luna. Both of them were frowning. I stepped up to them and bowed in respect, dipping my head low to the ground.

'Raise, royal knight' Celestia's voice cut through the deafening silence that covered the whole courtroom. I raised my head , regarding all of them with worry. Perhaps a new menace was threatening the peaceful haven of our kingdom? They possibly didn't look this worried for nothing…right?

'Your Majesty, is something wrong? 'I asked worriedly, taking a few steps forward. The sun riser heaved a sigh, her beautiful features stricken with regret.

'Yes I am afraid there is' she said, casting her pink gaze upon me. I saw Luna's features change as well, her piercing teal eyes glaring at the bigger mare.

'I've been informed that you haven't been yourself lately' she started with a somber note. I didn't like where this was going... What if she knew about my 'condition' and by condition I meant the results of the whole Dark Matter returns debacle, which left me scarred in more ways than one. I've been feeling strange lately. I felt drained and there was whispering in my head, the whispers were comforting but made me feel perplexed as of why they were there. I was more worried about the black spot on my chest that never seemed to want to go away. It left me fearing for the worse.

'well, I've been feeling a bit under the weather but other than that I'm fine' I tried to reassure, my voice trembling in fear. I scruffed my hooves along the lush carpeting, avoiding all eye contact. My heart pounded painfully against my ribcage, my mouth going dry.

\ _everything is going to be okay\_ There it was again, the low murmurs in my head, always whispering reassuring, soothing words.

'Princess Twilight told me that the dark spot on your chest haven't disappeared yet, is it true?' She asked softly as I forced myself to meet her eye out of respect. I kept the dark spot hidden underneath the collar I wore, which held the elements of harmony engraved into it with their signature colors. I nodded my head somberly. Luna suddenly looked at her sister with grief filled eyes.

'Big sister, please don't' she begged as Celestia turned to her with sadness.

'I'm sorry little sister, but I have no other choice' she said with guilt and turned to me.

' If the dark spot haven't disappeared, it means her shadows took your body as their host and that means we have little time left before they consume completely and turn you into a dark mare. For the safety of all of Equestria we will have… _Flashbacks_

The clopping of my hooves echoed in the vast hallway of the Canterlot castle as I marched with a steady pace to the courtroom, my presence requested by the princess Celestia. I greeted my brothers in arms with a nod upon my arrival at the doors of the courtroom. They opened the doors with the aid of their magi and I proceeded to step inside. I found both princesses and my friends waiting for me upon my arrival. All means of professionalism dropped as I trotted over to my 6 friends excitedly. It has been a long time since I've seen all of them together. Their greetings though…Instead of joyous squeals and hugs; I was greeted with half-hearted hellos and hesitant smiles. I knew something was out of place, especially if even Pinkie Pie was quiet. A frown marred my equine features, something wasn't right. I shifted my emerald gaze up to Celestia and Luna. Both of them were frowning. I stepped up to them and bowed in respect, dipping my head low to the ground.

'Raise, royal knight' Celestia's voice cut through the deafening silence that covered the whole courtroom. I raised my head , regarding all of them with worry. Perhaps a new menace was threatening the peaceful haven of our kingdom? They possibly didn't look this worried for nothing…right?

'Your Majesty, is something wrong? 'I asked worriedly, taking a few steps forward. The sun riser heaved a sigh, her beautiful features stricken with regret.

'Yes I am afraid there is' she said, casting her pink gaze upon me. I saw Luna's features change as well, her piercing teal eyes glaring at the bigger mare.

'I've been informed that you haven't been yourself lately' she started with a somber note. I didn't like where this was going... What if she knew about my 'condition' and by condition I meant the results of the whole Dark Matter returns debacle, which left me scarred in more ways than one. I've been feeling strange lately. I felt drained and there was whispering in my head, the whispers were comforting but made me feel perplexed as of why they were there. I was more worried about the black spot on my chest that never seemed to want to go away. It left me fearing for the worse.

'well, I've been feeling a bit under the weather but other than that I'm fine' I tried to reassure, my voice trembling in fear. I scruffed my hooves along the lush carpeting, avoiding all eye contact. My heart pounded painfully against my ribcage, my mouth going dry.

\ _everything is going to be okay\_ There it was again, the low murmurs in my head, always whispering reassuring, soothing words.

'Princess Twilight told me that the dark spot on your chest haven't disappeared yet, is it true?' She asked softly as I forced myself to meet her eye out of respect. I kept the dark spot hidden underneath the chest plate I wore, which held the elements of harmony engraved into it with their signature colors. I nodded my head somberly. Luna suddenly looked at her sister with grief filled eyes.

'Big sister, please don't' she begged as Celestia turned to her with sadness.

'I'm sorry little sister, but I have no other choice' she said with guilt and turned to me.

' If the dark spot haven't disappeared, it means her shadows took your body as their host and that means we have little time left before they consume completely and turn you into a dark mare. For the safety of all of Equestria we will have to…to banish you' my heart dropped into my stomach as soon as the words left her mouth.  
'What?' I squeaked, looking at my friends to see if this was a joke but their facial expressions told me everything.  
'It's for the best Harmony, you could seriously harm everypony if the darkness takes hold of you' I heard Twilight say as she took a step forward.I found myself grimacing in disgust and a small,cold,laugh escaped me.

'so that's it, I vanquish a terrible foe that almost costed me my life, for you, and that's what you do?! You banish me because you THINK I'm gonna turn evil!' My voice gaining volume as anger started to burn in my heart. I saw them wince and look away in shame.  
'you gotta understand-' I looked at her with a glare that reduced her to silence.

'No, I will not try to understand Twilight Sparkle, because you don't send your friend off into exile without trying to defend her' I spat her name, growing more and more aggravated. She adverted her gaze and I found myself giving off a cold laugh again. I felt the shadows growing upset with my mood.  
'how can I understand that uh!? When you pride yourself with the MAGIC OF FRIENDSHIP! I spat the last words like venom, stomping my hoof.

'that is enough Knight Harmony!' Celestia cut through the tense silence. I took a glance at her , my respect for her gone. Her face was contorted into a frown as she held onto her self-control to remain as passive as possible, not letting an ounce of anger show. She stood tall and proud near her throne, looking down at me with a glare in her eyes that would of normally made me flinch.

' Your right, I should probably go, wouldn't want to mare the image of your PERFECT friendship, but you know what, it's not that perfect, because a friend doesn't stab the other in the back like that. Friends don't throw the other under the bus to stay out of trouble. You know what...after all this , I don't think friendship is magic after all.' They all gasped and I felt myself draining and growing weak.

I felt all of my strength leave me as I slumped into a heap on the ground.

'Guards, please take Harmony away' Celestia said solemnly.

'don't you dare touch her' Luna's voice halted the guards that were about to drag me away. I looked up as Luna made her way down the steps, her head held high.

'I will not allow my friend to be banished!' Luna shouted, her eyes dark with anger , her ears tilted back as she glared holes into her older sister. She stood over me, daring the guards to even bat an eyelash at me.

' but princess Luna its for the best…'Twilight started but Luna whipped her head around so fast that I was afraid she would get whiplash. All Mane 6 quivered before the princess of the night's glare.

'I am most disappointed in you Twilight Sparkle…' She said, her voice laced with hurt. I looked at her weakly, she….she stuck up for me even after this… She turned to look down at me with sympathy and she reached out and helped me stand, supporting me against her.

'Luna, she must be banished; we don't know what could come of her having Dark Matters shadows taking host of her body. Celestia tried to reason, making her way down the steps as well, and her hair bobbing with each step.

'There must be a way big sister; we cannot chase her out like this….it isn't fair.' Luna tried to amend but Celestia seemed not moved by her sister's words.

'It's to protect our kingdom Luna, we just recovered from an assault, it'll be any minutes now before Harmony becomes a Dark Mare' Celestia said calmly, making her way to us. Luna shifted, backing us away.

'Please Luna, be reasonable' Celestia stressed, her frown deepening.

'If you want to banish my friend…then you'll have to fight me Celestia. 'Luna spat as everyone gasped in shock.

'Little sister, I do not wish to fight you…' Celestia uttered, her pink hues alight with sadness. I glanced at the mane 6, all of their faces with contorted with shock at what they were witnessing but none of them said anything ,none of them raised a hoof to help…We always used to preach about how friendship was so great and could help with anything but how was it helping me now? I was to be banished, probably to the moon, for an indefinite amount of time. No…I will not go and rot on a piece of rock, no not today. I had to…escape. How could I? My strength has left me all of the sudden, the elements that used to fuel me, strengthen me had given up on me, leaving me weak and frail.

'run' Luna whispered to me as I snapped out of my daze. 'Run!' she repeated, pushing me back onto my hooves and without thinking, I bolted. I ran as fast as my weak legs could carry me. I heard the thundering steps on Luna's hooves behind me and many others behind us.

'Go to the mirror's room!' Luna instructed, making pillars fall, hindering the others progress. I tried to remember the path to go to said room. A left, a right, oh there was that potted plant that I found Spike sleeping in on my wedding's day. I turned right abruptly, skidding along marble floor. I barely caught myself before dashing towards the right door. I skidded to an halt outside. I heard Luna hurry inside and slammed the door shut, shoving a bookshelf in front of the door. The door rattled as the bookshelf, it wobbled and nearly tipped over but held strong against the assault from the other side. We could hear muffled shouts from the outside but I focused on Luna who hurried to the glowing mirror.

'Luna, I can't go to the other Equestria, they'll find me there…' I said, slumping onto the steps that led to the mirror.

'that is why it's not there you're going' She said gravely, peering into one of the many bookshelves that rested against the wall.

'I hate to break it to you Luna…but it's not the time to read.' I commented and squeaking when she gave me a pointed stare.

' Any book of this library is magic… so we might make use Twilight's machine to be able to send you elsewhere away from here' Luna said, using her magic to lift one of the book out of it's resting place and place it atop of the mirror. The machine sparked but slowly the book glowed and magic started to flow through the cables then finally with a burst of light, the mirror lit up, showing a swirly portal. The bookshelf in front of the door rattled violently, making the both of us gasp.

'hurry' Luna said, helping me up. I felt the sting of tears in my eyes.

'What about you Luna? You must come with me!' I begged, the tears slowly cascading down my cheeks. She gave me a sad smile, her own eyes misted over.

' no I can't, I still have to fulfill my duty as a princess…I must face my actions for defying my sister' She reached to wipe away the tears with hooves.

'please come with me! You're the only pony I have left!' I begged as crumpled at her feet, sobs wracking my body.

' No, you must go alone' She insisted, nudging me into getting up again.

' do me a favor…never look back, break the mirror once you get to the other side and most importantly, try and move on and be happy' Her voice sounded heavy with sadness, her normally stoic expression crumbling as tears slipped from her eyes, her tears looking like star falls as they slid down her cheek. I knew I couldn't argue with her on this, I had to go. I hugged her tightly, letting her scent envelop me one last time.

' I will miss you…Big Sister' I cried and I heard her breath itch as she hugged me back.

' And I you, little sister' She sniffled as she pulled away, pushing me towards the portal. I stepped towards it, just staring at the swirls made me feel nauseous.

' one more thing Harmony' I heard her say and I turned around. She took out a book and levitated it over to me. I took it with my magic.

'I wanted to give it to you on your birthday…' she trailed off' goodbye harmony'

I sniffled, I wanted to collapse so badly but I had to go. I muttered a quiet goodbye and jumped in just as the door busted open. Everything went black…


	2. Chapter 2

Retrieve what has been lost : Fruits Basket verse

I fell out of the portal, landing in a heap. I grunted, shaking off the dizziness and nausea that the portal caused. I clutched the book to my chest firmly; I thought I would've of lost it in the portal. My eyes snapped up, right I had to destroy the mirror. I grabbed a rock with my…what?! My hands?! I looked down at my hands and my legs. I was human again…I weakly grasped the rock and threw it at the mirror, creating a large crack right in the middle, the light inside flickering then the mirror became placid. I stared at it for a long time, tears slipping down my face.

'Luna…' I whispered weakly as I sniffled and tried to stand slowly, my legs almost giving right away as I stood on my two feet. I wobbled like a new born foal; it's been a long time since I walked on my two legs. I leaned heavily against a tree, clutching the book to my chest like it was my most prized possession. It kind of was actually. I only had my armour, my pouch which held the ¾ of my things and this book. I looked around and just saw a large expense of forest. I tried to listen as best as I could, trying to pinpoint if I was close to civilization or not. There was nothing, only the sounds of the forest. I sighed to myself before attempting to walk again. I wobbled again, taking small steps at a time before eventually it became natural again. I still felt weak, my steps were slow and I felt like a part of me was missing. I heard the rumbling of thunder overhead, making me looking up at the sky. Oh by Star Swirl the bearded, please don't make it rain. I sighed as I felt a few droplets hit my cheeks. I just had to say something didn't I?

I did make it very far before the light drizzle turned into an outright downpour, soaking me to the bone in no time.

I wandered aimlessly, blinking hard as the rain stung my eyes, my bangs sticking to my forehead. I looked down the hill and saw a house. Freaking finally, some civilization. That style of house was different than the ones I've seen in Ponyville, they more like the houses I saw in Equestria's japan when I went there with Tree Hugger and Fluttershy. I felt a pang in my heart just by thinking of them. It really wasn't fair, how could they do this to me. I tried to be the best of friend that I could but…it never seemed to be enough for anybody. I suddenly slipped in the mud, falling onto my butt. I held back a sob, I was soaked and now I was dirty too. I sat there, not feeling like moving anymore. I looked up at the grey clouds, not caring that the rain was falling in my eyes anymore. I felt my eyelids get really heavy, a strong wave of exhaustion hitting me, making me feel numb and weak. I blacked out once more.

-Fruits Basket-

'It started raining all of the sudden' Tohru observed as she glanced out the window as she dried tonight dinner dishes.

'Perhaps we should head to the secret base and lay out the tarps' Yuki said, his own towel in hand as he dried a glass.

'Right' Tohru agreed as she set her towel aside and drained the sink. The couple both took an umbrella and took the special tarps Yuki used to protect his garden from the rain. The lavender haired boy grabbed the girls hand with a small smile which had her beaming up at him. Their relationship was still fresh; they were taking it a step at a time. It did have a rocky start since right after Kyo revealed his true form to Tohru; he left and hadn't come back since. He knew how it affected Tohru, he knew the brunette blamed herself even if it wasn't her fault. He would sometimes see her watching the backyard with a sad look on her face, probably reliving the day in her memory.

'Yuki?' Her soft voice broke through his musings. He blinked his lavender eyes and met her blue ones.

'Yes Miss Honda?' He smiled at her concerned expression.

'Are you alright? ' She asked worriedly.

'Yes I'm sorry I space out there for a second' He excused, squeezing her hand reassuringly. There it was, her smile was back onto her face. They made small idle chatter as they made their way to the secret base.

'Eeeehhh!' Tohru suddenly cried, startling Yuki out of his thoughts once again.

'T-there is a body there!' She said in panic then ran towards said body, kneeling down by its side. Yuki ran over and indeed it was a body, of a very pale woman in weird clothes. Tohru was clearly fussing over the woman, her umbrella hastily thrown to the side.

'She has a fever Yuki, we got to do something!' Tohru tried to lift the person up but the woman seemed to be dead weight. How could they move her? He couldn't really touch her and Tohru wasn't strong enough to carry her on her own.

'Grab her shoulders and I'll grab her legs' Yuki instructed and Tohru scrambled to grab the woman under her arms and lifted her up as Yuki grabbed the woman's booted feet.

'hiss-o' They both lifted the woman and carefully brought her back to the house. They settled her down on the porch where she was shielded from the rain.

'I'll go get our umbrellas' Yuki said before jogging off to get their umbrellas, hoping they hadn't been blown away by the wind already. He grabbed both of them, closing Tohru's since there wasn't much used to them anyways, they were both soaked to the bone. He nearly tripped on something hard on the ground. He looked down and saw a beautiful, possibly hand crafted book with 'My most treasured memories' in sparkly letters. He picked it up, maybe it belonged to the woman they had just picked up, she would be upset if she didn't have it upon waking up. He tucked it under his arm before dashing off to the house, seeing that Tohru must of dragged the young woman inside. When Yuki slipped inside, Tohru was speaking to Shigure, who must have been disturbed from his work by Tohru's fussing. She was telling Shigure the whole story.

'very well then, we'll keep her here until she wakes up and we'll see what we will do from there 'Shigure said as he tucked his hands into the sleeves of his yukata.

'Oh Yuki your back, you should probably change before you catch a cold, you too Tohru, both of you go change and I'll keep an eye on our guest here' Shigure said ushering them out of the living room. Yuki gently grabbed his girlfriend's hand when she started to protest.

' He's right for once' He heard a plaintive 'hey' come from the living room' We should go change before catching a cold ourselves' Yuki said then gently touched her cold cheek, her cheeks dusted with a small pink hue that made him smile.

'R-right' she answered bashfully. They split ways once up the stairs, each going to their own respective room. He looked at the book his hand. He felt the urge to open it but at the same time, it was the woman's personal matters and he wouldn't dare breach her privacy, whoever she was. He set the book on his desk before changing into warm, dry clothes before heading back down the stairs, finding Tohru with a bundle of clothes her in her arms in the living room. Shigure was nowhere in sight ,he had probably wandered back to his office once Tohru came back.

' I'll prepare some tea' Yuki announced softly , trying to not make Tohru jump but in vain, she let out a squeak as she startled.

'o-oh I can go and make it!' She said going to step in the kitchen but Yuki blocked her.

'No, please take care of our guest and I'll make the tea' Yuki insisted and she nodded sheepishly before walking back to their guest. Yuki turned away to the kitchen. He poured the water in the kettle and set it onto the oven. He could hear Tohru move about in the other room, the distinct thud of wet clothes meeting his ears. He must of gotten lost in thoughts again since he didn't hear Tohru come up beside him to wet cloth for the woman's forehead, a deep frown on her face.

' is something wrong Miss Honda?' He asked worriedly and she looked up at him, deep rooted worry apparent in her eyes.

' She is less feverish than I thought but Yuki, she had a black mark on the center of her chest, I don't know what it is but I'm very worried' She confessed, tears nearly brimming her eyes. He set a hand onto her head and pressed her head to his shoulder, resting his chin on her head, it was the closest thing to a hug that they could manage.

'I'm pretty sure it's nothing, we'll see her condition once she wakes up, if that mark is hindering her health, we'll call Hatori tomorrow ok?' He said softly, hoping to appease her worries. That little worrywart always concerned for everyone even if that person was a complete stranger that came out of nowhere. He felt her nod against him and he pressed a soothing kiss to her crown. They snapped out of their tender moment when the kettle began whistling and Tohru busied herself by taking out the cups. She poured them both a cup before moving back to the living room, kneeling down beside the pale stranger, who was now dressed with one of Tohru's warm pyjamas and wrapped up in a warm blanket, only her head sticking out. Tohru set the warm cloth onto the woman's forehead, who suddenly shivered violently, her eyelids fluttering slightly, her face tensing.

' No please…Luna…come with me…' The woman cried plaintively, tears slipping from under her closed eyelids. Tohru gently reached to shake the woman's shoulder. The dual haired woman eyes snapped open, revealing emerald coloured eyes. Tohru eeped as the woman gripped her arm quite tightly. Her wide emerald eyes darted around the room, her breathing erratic. Her eyes settled on Tohru who tried to make her let go. She glanced down at her hand who held Tohru forearm and immediately let go as if she was burned, holding her hand to her chest as she shrunk back from them, her eyes suddenly weary.

'Who are you? What am I doing here? The woman asked in a small voice. Tohru offered her best smile, hoping to put guest a ease.

'I'm Tohru Honda and this is my boyfriend Yuki Sohma and we are currently in his home, we found you outside lying in the mud' Tohru explained and the woman eyes glanced up at him. He offered her a small smile which had her looking away quickly.

'I-I'm Harmony' She answered meekly, looking down at the blanket in her lap.

'Mind telling us why you were laying in the mud in the cold rain like that Miss Harmony' Yuki asked, kneeling down beside Tohru. The dual haired woman pursed her lips as she clutched the blanket tightly.

-Fruits Basket-

What could I possibly say?

'I got in a fight with my friends and they kicked me out' I lied, well, it was only a half truth. The lies stung, I hated lying but I couldn't tell them the truth without seeming like a complete psycho.

'I wandered out here in the woods and I was already feeling a bit sick then the rain started and I slipped in the mud and I guess I just passed out' I didn't dare look at them in the eye.

'That's awful! How can a friend to that?' Tohru said in horror.

'When they are not real friends' I said bitterly, holding back the sneer that threatened to show. My hand instinctively went to grasp the book Luna gave me. It wasn't there. My heart leapt in my chest in fear.

'W-where is it?' I panicked, over-turning the blankets and pillow, my breath becoming ragged, no, no I couldn't have lost the only memory I had left of Luna.

'Are you looking for this Miss Harmony' I heard Yuki soft spoken voice break through my panic. He was holding out the little book. I reverently took it from his hands and pressed it to my chest, holding back the sob that threatened to well up.

'This book means a lot to you doesn't it' Tohru said, her face contorted with pity and sadness. I could only nod, suddenly ashamed by my outburst.

'I-I'm sorry, I didn't mean to…' I began meekly but the brunette gave me a reassuring smile. How did I end up with people this kind? I didn't deserve their kindness. I-I wasn't safe for them. I felt the exhaustion hit me again. I felt like my magic was at its lowest. With the elements gone, would I be able to survive?

'Thank you for your hospitality but I should go' I insisted, attempting to stand. My legs wobbled badly and I fell back onto my butt.

'No, you really should stay! It's no problem really!' Tohru insisted, fussing over the blankets and wet cloth.

'Our guest is awake I see' A male voice sounded from the entrance of the living room. I looked up to see a tall black haired man wearing a yukata. He leaned against the door frame casually, his hands tucked into his sleeves. He offered a wink when my eyes met his, I quickly adverted my gaze blushing.

'Harmony, this is Shigure, Yuki's cousin' Tohru introduced, momentarily stopping her fussing.

'N-nice to meet you' I muttered shyly, looking at the book in my lap.

'Tohru, perhaps we could move our guest elsewhere, the floor tends to get a bit cold' Shigure suggested, making Tohru freak out again.

'oh my gosh, I didn't realized, how inconsiderate of me!I-I'll lend you my bed if you like!' That man just sent her into a tizzy again.

' No the floor is fine, I don't mind' I insisted but I knew the younger girl would have none of it.

'Why not lend her Kyo's room, I don't think he would mind for a day or two' everyone stopped, a chill suddenly coming over the room. I began to feel uneasy; Tohru was clenching the blanket in her hands, her eyes sad while Yuki was glaring off into the distance.

'I don't want to take anyone's room' I said meekly, feeling even worse.

'Kyo is absent for the moment' Shigure said softly with a frown. That Kyo person did seem to bring unease.

'I always could take his room, but just until I'm better and then I'll leave' I insisted, putting my foot down, I won't bother them more than necessary. Tohru nodded and forced a smile onto her face, it was fake and I could see it but I didn't comment on it or question that this Kyo was yet.

'Come I'll show you' Tohru said softly. I followed her unsteadily, clutching the book to my chest.

'You had to bring him up didn't you…' Yuki said after a long awkward silence, his words laced with venom.

' Even if she's going out with you Yuki, you know as well as me that she still cares a lot about him' Shigure said, his dark eyes looking at the door that would normally give view to the backyard.

' one less reason to bring him up' Yuki said before brushing past his cousin and into the hall, leaving the older male staring after him.

'there you go, are you comfortable enough, want more blankets ,a pillow?' Tohru asked as she tucked me in like a child. I couldn't help but allow a small smile to grace my lips.

' no I'll be fine really Tohru please, stop fussing over me' I insisted ,gently setting the book beside me on top of the covers. She gave a small giggle.

'Call me if you need anything okay? Goodnight' She said softly before stepping out into the hall and closed the door behind her. I shifted onto my side, another wave of exhaustion hitting me, making my eyes feel heavy. The scent of the bed was comforting, whoever slept in that bed smelled really good. I started to nod off before finally giving in to sleep, wondering what type of day was waiting for me tomorrow.


	3. Chapter 3

Retrieve what has been lost( Fruit Basket Verse)

You don't know if you'll ever find healing

When I woke up, the sky was still dark but this time littered with beautiful stars, that made my heart squeeze painfully. I saw my armor and pouch on the small desk in the room. The clothes I wore under the armor were now clean and folded. My boots were perfectly clean and polished. I shook my head in disbelief. That girl was putting too much efforts into this… I felt tempted to leave but at the same time, I didn't want to make them worry. I can't imagine how they would react when they would come check up on me in the morning, only to find the bed empty. I would most likely leave a note but I didn't want to distress the brown haired teen any further. I've never seen such worrywart and I complained about Apple Jack's mother hen tendencies. I winced again, my hands grasping the desk tightly, the woods protesting under the sudden force. I had to…

'do me a favor…never look back, break the mirror once you get to the other side and most importantly, try and move on and be happy' Luna's words echoed in my head.

I needed air. I opened the window wide open and stuck my head out with a gasp. I slumped onto the windowsill. What was I do to?

'Yuki! Yuki! Call Hatori now!' I heard as I was shaken awaken. Whaa? Where was I again?

'what? What is happening?' I said , voice laced with sleep. What a way to wake up. I yawned as I peered my eyes open, seeing Tohru kneeling down near me.

'Hi' I offered with a faint smile which startled her. She held a hand to her chest and sighed in relief.

' oh your awake, I was worried when I found you on the floor this morning' She said, relief evident in her voice. The floor? Right, I had fallen asleep under the windowsill with the comforter and my starlight blanket that Luna gave me.

'I'm sorry , I didn't mean to worry you, I just needed air, I guess I left it open' She didn't answer but touched my forehead.

'I'm glad, your fever is gone' she said with evident relief.

'Hatori is on his way, oh morning Miss Harmony' Yuki greeted politely, seeming a bit dishevelled.

Tohru turned to the purple haired boy with a sheepish expression.

'It seems like she's perfectly fine, I must have exaggerated things' She rubbing the back of her head. Yuki sighed in relief and shook his head at her fondly. I smiled at their interaction ,his adoration for her was clear. It reminded me of how…no! Not him, I was already suffering enough, no need to bring him into this.

'I have breakfast downstairs, do you want some?' I was snapped out of my musings at the question but my stomach took care of the answer for me. I laughed nervously, rubbing the back of my head. The apple pie I had the previous day was long gone.

'Yes please' I answered meekly which had her beaming and she gently grabbed my hand to help me up.

-Fruits Baskets-

I would never have admitted it but, man I missed meat. I had been a full vegetarian ever since I got to Equestria but now I knew I could never go back to being one.

'I'm glad our guest is feeling better today, excuse me I don't believe I got your name' the man, Shigure said as he stepped into the dining room, wearing a sunny smile. I paused with my mouth full of rice; I probably looked like a hamster right now. I swallowed quickly and coughed.

'I'm Harmony, sir.' I greeted with a bow. He waved a hand at me.

' Please call me Shigure' He insisted 'so tell me Harmony ,what a beautiful lady su- ahhhh!' Yuki had poked Shigure in the neck with his chopsticks.

'Please excuse my cousin inappropriate behavior, he's generally harmless, if not a bit foolish' Yuki said with a sweet smile. I stared at him in surprise. Note to self, never mess with Yuki. The sound of someone clearing their throat cut through Shigure's whining. We all looked up to see a tall man with olive green hair which was hiding one of his eyes.

'oh Hari! You're here what allow us the pleasure' Shigure said cheerfully, bounding up to the man who only regarded him passively.

He looked to Yuki.' Yuki called me, talking about a patient' Hatori answered, his stoic eye focusing on me.

'oh my bad, I panicked and told Yuki to call you since I saw that Harmony was lying on the ground, I'm really sorry!' Tohru said out loud and the older man gave a sigh and a slight shake of his head. He probably knew how she was already.

'That's fine, might as well give her an exam after all, just in case' Hatori said, setting down his bag.

'we'll move to the living room if you don't mind' Hatori said, his gaze directed to me. I swallowed heavily before setting down my chopsticks and stood up, following the man into the next room. He closed the paper rice door behind him. His piercing gaze made me feel uncomfortable.

'When was your last physical exam Miss Harmony?' I jerked with a squeak as his voice broke the silence.

'It's been a while, I don't get sick very often' I answered, following his instruction as he pressed the stethoscope to my heart.

'Yuki told me that Tohru saw a black mark on your chest, may I see it?' He asked politely as he set the stethoscope aside. I gulped but nodded, slowly undoing the buttons of pyjamas and parted the lapels to reveal the mark. To be human again was weird, I had to cover everything up again, clothes felt restricting and itchy. I would have to get used to it again. He hummed thoughtfully, reaching over to prod as I held back a blush, adverting my eyes. I winced as he pressed down. I felt really sensible and now that I realized it, I almost felt as if it was burning, an uncomfortable tingling sensation surrounding the area.

'It's definitely curious, does it hurt?' He asked in a professional manner. I nodded and winced as he prodded again, his thumb going over where the stab wound had been.

I heard him hum and pull his hands back, rubbing his chin in a thoughtful manner. It wasn't normal and I knew it. Maybe Celestia had been right, it was only a matter of time before I became evil… I had to get out! My eyes darted to the door, I could try a quick escape.

'I-I got to go!' I cried and pushed past him , aiming for the door, yanking it open . I ran down the hall only to bump into Shigure who came out to see what the commotion was about. I tripped over my own two feet and ran right into him sending the both of us on the ground. There was an hushed silence. I got back up as soon as I got my bearings back, heading for the front door.

'wait! Where are you going?' Tohru called right behind him and I froze at the door. Why did I stop? The door was right there, I had to leave to spare them and me the suffering. I felt my lower lip trembled as the sobs quaked my chest. Why was I crying again? I was tired of crying…I sniffled loudly. I felt her presence come even closer.

'Don't! Don't touch me, I'm dangerous for you!' I yelled as I trembled.

'You only had a fever and it's gone, you won't make me sick… ' That girl just didn't give up, didn't she?

'You don't understand…' I said weakly, falling to my knees, my forehead pressed against the door.

'Then help us understand, let us take care of you, that's what friends are for right? They help each other feel better ' I heard her say softly, her hand gently running down my back. I felt heat burst into my chest but not the bad kind of heat but a warm, pleasant feeling and I felt like my strength came back, just a little bit.

'You don't even know me' I muttered softly.

'But if you let me know you then we could be friends' she said cheerily. I peered at her over my shoulder and saw her smiling. I burst into tears and she gathered me into her arms, hushing me and petting my hair.

-Fruits Basket-

The three male looked at the tender moment but a question hung in the air. How come Shigure didn't transform when she bumped AND fell on him. The woman was definitely special and Akito had to know about her.

Tohru looked up at them sadly, the woman having fallen asleep in her lap.

'She isn't sick is she Hatori?' She asked quietly, her wide blue eyes focused on him.

' no, she perfectly fine, aside from the fact that mark on her chest caused her distress and made her want to run away, we'll question her further when she'll feel up to it, but the most important fact is, Shigure didn't transform when she bumped and fell on him' Hatori said gravely and Tohru gasped.

'For real? You didn't transform?' She asked Shigure, seeming overjoyed by the news.

'I'm as surprised as you Tohru 'Shigure said , tucking his hands into his sleeves with a thoughtful expression.

'And let me guess…Akito is going to have to know about it' Yuki said bitterly as he looked to the side. Hatori sighed as he picked up his bag to head to the door.

'I'm afraid so Yuki, he can't be left in the dark about this.' The dragon said, glancing down at the sleeping woman in Tohru's lap.

'She may be our only chance to break the curse…..


	4. Honesty

Retrieve what has been lost : Chapter 4

Honesty

A few days went by; I didn't have another break down like the other day which I apologized profusely for. Even though I said I should go, Tohru insisted that I stay upon Shigure's approval naturally. I tried to make myself scarce but she always found a way to find me. But I found myself enjoying hers and Yuki's company.

I adjusted the make shift dress I made of Tohru old dress. She had given it to me saying that she didn't really wear it anymore. I had asked for a sewing kit to alter it some. I did have a sewing kit inside my pouch but then again, she would've of asked questions. I altered it into a nice tent dress. I slipped it on once I got out of the shower. I brushed my hair with my borrowed brush. I patted at it, noting that the rainbow streaks were gone, leaving white black hair behind. I sighed, perhaps I could cut it? I wondered as I pulled my hair into a high bun. I slipped out of the bathroom and made my way down the stairs, noting how quiet it was. Right, Tohru and Yuki were at school. I made it to the kitchen, seeing a small plate with a note on it.

-For Harmony, have a nice day! Love Tohru-

I chuckled as I removed the plastic wrapping and went to settle at the table to eat.

'How is our patient this morning' I almost choked on my bite as I startled. I looked up to see Shigure leaning against the doorway. I patted my chest to make the bite pass and coughed.

'She is fine thank you' I offered, smiling lightly. He took a seat on the other side of the table with a sigh.

'What is it?' I asked before taking a bite of rice.

'Seems like my inspiration went away again' He pouted, his hands toying with a pen his hands.

'Ahh writer's block, tell me about it' I found myself chuckling' boy do I know how that feels'

'You write too?' He asked curiously.

'More like used to, the inspiration went away a long time ago' I said sighing, man I used to write all the time but then I went to Equestria and with being a knight and all, I didn't exactly had the time to actually sit down to do that.

'Maybe I could help you, what are you writing?' I asked curiously and he suddenly looked me embarrassed.

'I don't think it's something a young lady your age should write' He said which made my eyebrow tick.

'FYI I'm 22 years old and I'm not a little girl anymore' I said ,sticking my nose up.

'My , I thought you would be Tohru's and Yuki's age' He said in disbelief' well some say that this will come in handy later'

'Pfft if I had a dollar every time someone said that to me I'd be rich' I snorted and chuckled.

'Very well then, I'm writing a new series of smut novels but I'm stuck at a very important scene' He said, sounding dismayed, taking out the script from inside his yukata.

'Oh my, smut, it's been a while since I've read that type of novel' I said then froze, I didn't just say that. How come it was so easy to talk to them!

'Oh Harmony, you have a hidden side of you that we don't know about yet uh?' Shigure said with a smirk. Yeah hidden side of me…I blushed and snatched the script off the table and roughly went over the story. I hummed when I got to the part that he was stuck.

'How about, we make it a realistic first time hmm? Not like all these showy romance from the movies but from real experiences you know? Like she could trip while trying to act sexy, they could bump heads, make embarrassing noises and all' I began to say, feeling like I was on a go, feeling a passion I haven't felt in so long. I froze as I saw Shigure stare at me. I ducked my head, my cheeks heating up.

' But that's just my opinion you know… you can do what you want it's your book after all…' I said meekly, sliding the script back to him.

'That's actually a great idea' I heard him click his pen and I heard the sound of the pen starting to scratch at the paper. I looked up and saw that he had started to write.

' Yes I definitely like the idea, maybe you could become my assistant, that could be the way to pay for your room and board' He said with a smile. Although it made mine fade.

'Why do you want to keep me around…I'm nothing but a stranger here…' And I'm dangerous, but that part went unsaid. Shigure gave me a serious look, the first I've ever seen on his face.

'Let me tell you a small story Harmony, did you know Tohru was a stranger too when she first started living here? She was Yuki's schoolmate but still a stranger and we openly invited her here and the same goes for you. Tohru seems awfully fond of you and I think she could use the feminine touch don't you think? She is living with three men all the time, she could use some female company' Oh the sly dog, he had me by the feelings. Sweet sweet little Tohru, I had grown fond of her too over the few days but I grew fond of the two male as well. I felt…better too, I don't know if it's what Tohru told me during Hatori's visit that gave some of my strength back but I was immensely grateful.

'So you accepting the position or not' Shigure asked, taking me out of my daze. I nodded with a light smile.

'Perfect! Would you be a dear and go make some tea, we got a long task ahead of us' He asked and I gave him a look. He better not take me for his maid though…I stood, taking my dirty dishes with me. I put the kettle on the oven and took out some cups. I reached into the fridge for some milk for my tea and saw a wrapped bento. Oh Tohru, you forgot your lunch… I shook my head gently.

I took the bento from the fridge and peeked my head into the living room's doorway.

'Hey Shigure, would you mind telling me where Tohru's school is? She forgot her lunch.' I said holding up the wrapped box. Shigure chuckled and wrote down something on a piece of paper and handed it to me.

'What's that? 'I asked as I took it with my free hand.

'A list of things to get for me and the address of Tohru's school' He said and handed some cash to buy his items.

I hope I won't get lost. I told myself as I got ready to leave. Maybe I could tap into my magic and used the changeling stone to shape shift? No I had to conserve my strength.

'See you later Shigure' I called over my shoulder as I passed the door and closed it behind me.

It took me some time but I did find the school. Man it has been a while since I've been to school, not that I missed it or anything. I made my way inside meekly; ready to ask around if I didn't find them. I clutched the bento to my chest, feeling self-conscious as people stared and whispered to each other. I bumped into someone and apologized quickly.

'Hey watch where you're going' the girl snapped. My eye twitched but I bit my tongue.

'I was wondering if you knew where a certain Tohru and Yuki were.' I asked, might as well ask.

'Who gives you the right to approach Prince Yuki!?' The girl with pigtails snapped suddenly.

Excuuuuse me?

'What?' I asked frowning as two other girls came to flank the first one. What was this all about?

'You think you can just ask around like that and approach him, what gives you the right-'I held up a hand to interrupt her.

'What give YOU the right to call Yuki yours hmm? He can see anyone he wants , as far as I know he's his own person and you don't really have the right to objectify him like that, he isn't an object but a person, so he doesn't belong to anybody got it!?' Pfft the nerve of those girls, I've spent 5 minutes in here and I wanna slap someone already. The girls seemed at loss, making me smirk. 'In your faces' I thought smugly.

The girl with the two pigtails spluttered' wh-who do you think you are uh? You come from an another school or something, some snobbish school? You had to have an extravagant uniform uh?' That girl was clearly grasping at straws here…

' Well at least I don't have the fashion sense of an old potato, so now if you'll excuse me I have people to find' I said, pushing past them and caught sight of Yuki and Tohru who held each other's hand and were with a tall blond and a shorter black haired girl. The blond was laughing her ass off, the black haired girl had a stoic expression.

'Oh there you are you two, I looked for you everywhere' I said , trotting over to them.

'Harmony! What are you doing here?' Tohru said in a surprised tone. I wordlessly held out the bento. She looked at it in confusion.

'You forgot your lunch at home silly' I said with a small smile.

'Oh gosh! You didn't have to come all the way here for that! I could of skipped it, it's no big deal! I shook my head and patted her head, making her stop her spazzing.

' you need those nutrients darling, your still growing, it was my pleasure to come out here and give it to you, it made me explore the city a bit, I was beginning to feel a bit stir crazy anyways, I needed to come out of the house' I reassured and took the bento from my hands.

The blond finally stopped laughing and gasped for breath.

'Wow, I've never seen someone roast them like that, can I have your autograph' the blond joked with a smile.

'Oh! Harmony those are my friends Uo and Hana, Uo, Hana this is my new friend Harmony, she's living with us' Friend… there was that word again.

I bowed politely and smiled at them' Nice to meet you, now that I gave you your lunch, I'd better go, I have to run some errands for Shigure on the way back.' I said turning around to leave. I waved over my shoulder' see you two love birds later' I called and saw both of their faces lit up with a blush. I snickered to myself before leaving. The store wasn't that hard to find. I got Shigure all of the items on his list then headed back home… Could I really call this place my home yet? No…stop kidding yourself, maybe it's just temporary, maybe they'll get tired of you eventually, like everyone else…

' _Don't downplay yourself like that'_ The shadow's voice rang in my head.

'You've _been silent for a few days, I thought you were gone'_ I said back, my grip tightening on the paper bag I was holding.

' _You were already in distress and I didn't want to distress you any further'_ the voice said softly. The voice normally helped most of the time, its soothing voice often easing my mind.

' _I'm feeling a lot better now'_ I thought and it wasn't a lie, I did feel better than I had a few days ago.

'I'm _glad, it's surely the first step to happiness, moving on'_ It said wisely and fell silent. Yeah moving on, better said than done.

I slipped into the house.

'Shigure I'm back!' I called, removing my shoes and walking up to the living room, seeing Shigure balancing the pen between his nose and mouth.

'You didn't write anything since I left?' I asked, setting down the bag in front of him.

'Nope, I was kind of waiting for you, did you make it to the school alright?' He asked, the pen dropping into his lap.

'Yeah it was relatively easy to get there' I answered, leaning against the doorway. Having a strong sense of smell helped a lot too.

'The thing I didn't know was Yuki's fan club' I held back a laugh at the idea. I had been kind of mean to them; maybe the fashion comment had been a bit too much. Shigure gave a chuckled of his own.

'By the way Harmony, Hatori called and he wants you to come and meet him at the Sohma estate, don't worry I'll walk you, I need the fresh air' He said as he stood. I suddenly felt weary, why would they want me to go there?

'Um ok then, we can go now?' I suggested as he brushed past me to head to the front door.

' sure lets go'

The walk there felt tense. I didn't feel good at all. Why did they want me there, what did they want from me.

'Relax, nothing bad is going to happen' Shigure said, trying to break the tense silence. For some reason that wasn't reassuring at all…

We finally reached a huge gate with sign that read 'Sohma' on them.

'Here we are' Shigure announced, tucking his hands into his sleeves.

The door opened to reveal a little boy with blond hair and caramel eyes.

'Oh hello Shigure! You must be Harmony, Hi! I'm Momiji Sohma' He greeted cheerily. I offered a smile back; it was hard not to smile at that cute face.

'Come inside, I can give you a tour of the place!' He said tugging on my hand.

'Momiji, you can show her around later, but right now she has an important meeting with Akito' Hatori's voice cut through the blonde's chattering.

'Awww but she just got here; can't I show her around a bit ?' Momiji begged with a whine. Hatori only had a stern look.

'Later' He said with finality as Momiji pouted, letting go of my hand.

'I'll be glad to take that tour later Momiji' I offered a weak smile before walking over to Hatori so we could step inside the house.

'I take it that you feel much better now Miss Harmony?' Hatori questioned, his tone seeming uninterested.

'Yes much, thank you for asking' I said softly, trailing behind him, not really knowing where we were going.

' You must be wondering why you were summoned here' The stoic man asked, turning to me when we reached a set of sliding doors. Of course I was wondering what I was doing here…

' What you are about to find out will have to stay a secret , if you were to talk about it, there will be dire consequence, do you understand?' The severity in his tone made me gulp and give a light nod. He opened the door and motioned me inside. I slipped into the dark room ,the only source of light being a large circular window, where someone was leaning against, looking out the window. He wore a kimono, his dark hair covering his eyes. I felt suddenly chilly, as if the degrees in the room had dropped. I didn't like this at all.

'Are you familiar with the story of the Chinese zodiac, Miss Harmony?' The person at the window asked out of nowhere.

'I can't say that I have' I replied honestly.

Long long time ago, Got told the animals, 'Tomorrow I'll invite you to my banquet. You must not be late.' After hearing the news, the rat, who likes practical jokes... told its neighbor, the cat, that the banquet was the day after tomorrow. On that day, the rat rode on the ox, and jumped off into get to the banquet first. The ox followed then the tiger and everyone else. The celebration lasted until the next morning. Except for the deceived cat..."

'Poor cat' I thought with a frown.

' _Be careful of her…she's dangerous, I don't like the air she has around her'_ I heard the shadow whisper in my mind. She? It was a woman, well, her kimono did hide everything well.

' I felt a shift in the air a few days ago and the day after, Hatori arrives with the news that Shigure didn't transform upon your contact with him' Akito trailed off as she slowly stood up, making her way over slowly. What transform? What was she talking about.

' You see my dear Harmony, this curse has been in our family for generations and upon the contact with the opposite sex, they transform into their zodiac animal' She explained, slowly walking over to me as I knelt on the ground. I felt the mark on my chest quiver making me wince. Her energy stifled me, choking me, she had a certain magic around her.

'But when you touch them, it doesn't happen and I wanna know-' she grasped my hair and made me look at her in the eyes. My scalp stung at the harsh treatment, making me grunt in pain.

'Why it doesn't happen with you, you have a special air around you Harmony; I sincerely don't like it…' She tugged some more, almost making me grasp her wrist to make her stop.

'And let me guess, you are like that idiotic little girl Tohru aren't you? ready to do anything to break that curse' Her voice got more and more angry her grasp tightening until I couldn't take it anymore. I grasped her wrist with both of my hands. What was her problem?! That woman was insane.

'listen here you little pest, I give you and other whore a whole year to break the curse or else , you both get your memories erased and that wretched cat gets locked up' She spat venomously.

' _Let me out, I'll take care of her!'_ I heard the shadow hiss in my head. I fought to control her; I don't know what she was capable of.

' _Then let me help you'_ I felt heat spread through my muscles and bones, fuel my strength and allow me to push her off making her stumble and fall on her butt. I stood, letting air out of my nose like a bull. Before I knew it received a vase to the head. I cried out ,closing my eyes out of reflex. Ok that's it, I had enough of that woman's shit. I grasped her kimono and lifted up in the air. I heard the sliding doors slam open.

'Akito, Harmony!' I heard Hatori yell. I made the shadows glue his feet to the ground, no he wouldn't interfere, I had a few words I had to say to dear Miss Akito

'You listen to me you piece of trash!' I hissed, my voice distorted as I fought for control over the shadows. I dug my now black eyes into hers, staring deeply into her eyes.

'If I break the curse, it'll be for them not for you, the last thing I want is them to be stuck with a vile, cruel person like you any longer!' I said, venom dripping from every word.

'You know… a monster isn't defined by appearance but by a person's mind, whoever or whatever that Kyo person is, he's not the monster here! You are!' I spat, pushing her onto the floor roughly. I felt anger licking at my insides, threatening to overcome me but I remained as passive as possible. I felt warm blood trickled down my forehead and gradually down my face, a few vase shards must of imbedded themselves into my scalp. She went to move but I pointed at her, trying not to smirk at the way she flinched.

'You won't raise your hand on me or on anyone else in this family ever again do you hear me?! I won't let you hurt those poor innocent people any longer! If you honestly think that's how a family works…then you're gravely mistaken' I panted after my rant, feeling the shadow back down slowly. I finally felt the pain welling up in my head but I didn't care.

'I'll free them from you and that's a promise…' I said, my voice sounding tired to my own ears. I turned around and saw Hatori stare in shock. The shadows released him and he was able to move again.

'Don't touch me' I whispered harshly went he went to grab my arm.

'But your head…' He said softly.

'I don't care, I'm going home' I then ran off, rushing past Shigure and Momiji, who appeared to be making their way over. I took off into the woods, knowing it was a quick route to Shigure's house. However I faltered half way, my strong courageous façade suddenly dropping as the dam broke, tears streaming down my face, mixing with the blood that was now drying on my skin. I whimpered, hugging myself as I leaned against a tree for support as I sobbed. I felt a head ache starting to form as the pain kept lingering. I made my way home, sniffling and sobbing pitifully all the way. The sobs started anew when I saw Yuki on the back porch. I shakily made my way across the backyard. I heard Yuki gasp and run over to me.

'Miss Harmony, tell me what happened?!' His lavender eyes wide with concern as he grasped my arms tightly to keep me up. I collapsed into his arms, the both of us crumpling to the ground.

'How can you live with someone so cruel?' I cried, a new wave of tears coming out as I met his sad eyes.

'You get used to it' He said sadly as he wiped away my tears with his sleeve. I sniffled pathetically, pressing my forehead to his shoulder.

'No, you don't have to! How can a person be so vile to his own family?' I said in disbelief, clutching the material of his shirt tightly.

'I-I'll break this curse, for all of you! I don't how yet, but I'll do it!' I cried in determination, looking at him in the eyes. I hugged him tightly and felt his body tense then relax, feeling his hands rub circles on my back.

'I promise' I whispered and his grip tightening momentarily.

'I believe you' I felt something spark in me at his words, as if a piece of my soul came back to me.

' _Honesty'_ I heard in my head.

Yuki gently pulled away and offered a sad smile.

'Let get this wound cleaned up' He said softly, helping me up. I saw the huge stain on his normally pristine shirt.

'Oh no your shirt I-I'm so sorry' I said sheepishly, lowering my head.

'It can be cleaned or I'll throw it out, your wound is more important at the moment, let's go inside' He said motioning to the house. I meekly followed , climbing up onto the porch and into the living room. I sat down as dizziness began to hit me.

'Stay there, I'll go get the first aid kit' He ordered softly.

-Fruits Basket-

'Akito did this to you?' Yuki questioned as he took out the shards of the vase from my scalp very carefully and set them down on a piece of gauze that was on the table.

'Yeah, didn't take the fact that I pushed her of me, for a sickly woman, she had one hell of a grip, nearly ripped my hair out…' I said , wincing as he took a particularly large shard out. I felt his fingers gingerly touch my scalp, parting the hair to make sure he had gotten everything.

'I can't believe he made you go' Yuki said, his voice holding an angry undertone. 'Akito is extremely dangerous' He said as he grabbed a pair of chopsticks and a cotton swab and soaked it with alcohol. He was about to dab it on one of the wounds when the front door slammed open and we heard the thundering of feet. I got ready to bolt when the door slammed open. Both Shigure and Hatori stood there panting.

'You have some explanations to give us young lady' Hatori said sternly.

'Let's just wait until Tohru comes back ok? I don't want to tell this story twice.' I said tiredly.

'very well, now let me have a look at your head' He said walking over and switched place with Yuki, who went upstairs to wash up.

-Fruits Basket-

The silence stretched itself till Tohru arrived. We heard her cheerful 'I'm home!' She peeked her head through the door and saw all of us sitting around the table. Before she could begin to fuss about the bandage on my head we made her sit down. I told the whole story, I didn't hold back. I told them the whole truth; they would either believe me or think I'm crazy and intern me into an asylum.

Uh! You can do magic?!' she said in fascination as she stood in the doorway with fresh tea and snacks. Of course she would be the one to believe me without questions.

'That's pretty ama-uuuh!' She tripped over one of the cushions, sending the tray flying. Without thinking, I caught the tray with my magic and put a cushion for Tohru to fall on. She landed with oof and looked around in confusion. They all stared at me in shock. I sighed as I gently set the tray on the table, distributing the cups and filling them with tea. I folded my hands in front of me.

'I have a certain theory about how you don't transform when I come in contact with you' I said trying to change the subject.

' Your magic is negative magic since it's a curse and mine is positive magic, so my theory is that both magic nullifies each other' I only got blank looks. Figures.

'What happens when you take a base and acid and mix them together?' I asked and Yuki perked up.

'It becomes a neutral' He answered' but I don't see…oh' He finally caught on.

'Exactly, it neutralizes one another upon contact, but that's just a theory, I'm not that much of an expert' I said sipping my cup.

'How will you be able to break the curse then?' Hatori asked over the rim of his cup.

'Probably a counter spell but I need to make some research first, I got to see if there's a way that it can break on its own but I'll need everyone's help' I said biting my lip. I had one tough task ahead of me but I will do it.

It's a promise…


	5. Little Runaway

Whole month went by after the faithful meeting with Akito. I've been working hard to find a way to break the curse snooping around but also took some time to myself. I was now fully installed in Shigure's house and bunked with Tohru since her bed was huge. We installed a small routine among ourselves and life…was good to say the least.

I leaned against one of the beams, slowly inhaling the smoke of my cigarette, running a hand through my now short hair, bringing a strand to my eye level, eyeing the orange streak that had appeared in them. I had noticed it appeared after I made my promise to the Sohma's. As for the length, on a whim and kind of out of anger I had chopped them off. Now I had another break down a week ago, upon finding my wedding dress in my pouch. I had thought that it would have been a good idea to keep it, in case I ever remarried, even if I wasn't married to begin with. But the mere sight of that dress sent me into a tizzy, burning the dress and everything that reminded me of him and them. I had acted on impulse, I know but it had been freeing in a way. Burning the things that tied me to them allowed me to cut the ties completely. Tohru and Yuki found me in a sobbing mess in the bathroom in a pile of my own hair. Tohru of course had panicked and made sure I hadn't cut myself with the scissors while Yuki told me the short hair suited me. It was the shortest I've ever had in my life. They went from the middle back of my back to my chin. I had done my best to make it look good by making them into a fashionable bob with longer bangs in the front.

I heard a sigh behind me. I looked over my shoulder seeing Shigure leaning his forehead on his desk.

'Mii is being a pain again?' I asked and got a grunt for an answer. That meant yes. Perhaps it was more Shigure being a pain to Mii then vice-versa.

We had been on a roll ever since I became his assistant and yet, he insisted to add little touches here and there but I knew that he just wanted to torment the poor woman.

'Just give the manuscript to her already; I don't want her coming here in hysterics again…' I said as I stubbed my cigarette in the ashtray. Hysteric didn't even begin to cover it to be honest.

'But it's so much fun messing with her' He whined making me roll my eyes.

'Whatever, I'm going to make snacks since Tohru's friends are coming over' I said giving him a salute before heading to the kitchen.

' oh Harmony, not your famous pastries again, you make it hard to keep my line with all the delicious things you're making for us' Shigure complained but I knew he'd be the one to put his paws on my cookies.

'Your line psshhh that's bull Shigure' I chuckled, taking out all the ingredients for the strawberry shortcake I wanted to make. I was happy to notice that Yuki had left a small bowl of strawberries that came from his garden. I gathered all the ingredients, levitating them with my magic from the fridge to the counter. I tried to use my magic less and less, since this place was practically a non-magical world. I tried to do things on my own with my own two hands instead of magic but I did indulge myself by doing small things like these with it. It also made cleaning much faster.

-Fruits Basket-

I was adding the finally touches to my strawberry shortcakes when the front door opened and was followed by Tohru's and Yuki' We're home'

I heart Arisa call out a Yo.

'Man it's smell great in here, I bet it's Harmony who baked again didn't she?' I heard her say.

'Oh I can't wait to see what she made for us this time 'I then heard Hana's soft voice.

'I think Miss Harmony wanted to have a go at the strawberry shortcake this time around' Yuki replied.

'Your right and it was a success, thanks for leaving those beautiful strawberries Yuki' I finally made myself known, peeking my head out of the kitchen. I knew I wasn't the most presentable right now. Let's say clean baking wasn't my forte. I probably had flour in my hair and cream on my face.

'Welcome back' I greeted as they gathered in the kitchen.

'I have tea and snacks ready' I said happily, motioning to the little tray I had made that held the finished dessert.

'Wow you didn't have to do that Harmony' Tohru said, clearly grateful.

'It's no big deal Tohru, it occupied my free time, besides I love baking' I said, waving a hand at her.

'How did you learn to bake like that anyways?' Arisa questioned, admiring my little display.

'A friend…' I said, trying to hide the bitterness in my tone. 'Now who wants to try it first? I afraid it might be a bit dry' I said quickly changing the subject as I felt a particular painful itch in my chest.

'Oh do give yourself some credit Miss Harmony, everything you've made so far has been great' Yuki commented as I took the tray and brought it to the living room. I set everything down as we all took a seat around the table.

-Fruits Basket-

'What, again?! How?! I bet you're cheating Harmony' Arisa asked in outrage as I won for the second time in a row. I was surprised myself, I never played Rich man, poor man, I only knew how to play go fish when it came to card games.

'I'm as surprised as you my dear' I smirked behind my cards, earning a small push from the blond.

'Ok I'll shuffle the cards' Tohru volunteered as we all passed her the cards.

'Say Tohru, you haven't had any news from orange top yet uh?' I saw Tohru pause in her shuffling, her bangs now shadowing her eyes. I felt the same chill as the first time I came here when Shigure brought up Kyo. They rarely spoke about him but I would often catch Tohru staring in the distance when she was on the back porch, a worried look etched on her face.

'I-I'll go make more tea' She shakily excused, setting down the cards shakily.

'Tohru' I called softly as I went after her as she made a hasty retreat into the kitchen.

'Tohru…'I uttered softly as I heard her sniffle, her back to me. I gently touched her shoulder, frowning in sympathy. This subject almost seemed taboo in this house. Yuki would be get angry and Tohru would become very sad. This Kyo person, without wanting to, left a gaping hole in this house that only him could fill.

'It's my entire fault' She sniffled, tiny whimpers escaping her. I felt my heart squeeze painfully at the noise.

'Oh darling, come here' I whispered as I pulled her into my arms, pressing her face into my shoulder as her own shoulders shook.

'He left because of me…' She said weakly, her tears steadily wetting my shirt. I rubbed her back.

'I bet he didn't, I think he's out there licking his wounds, he must of taken it pretty hard when you chose Yuki instead of him and before you blame yourself again, it's not your fault, you just liked Yuki better and that's all, you don't have to feel bad for who you love Tohru' She peered up at me with her wide blue eyes.

'What if he never comes back?' She said in a hushed tone as I wiped her cheeks with my sleeve in a mothering way.

'If he cares for you as much as I think, he'll be back, just give him time ok?' I reassured, rubbing her shoulders. She wiped her tears with her sleeve and offered a small smile.

' your right, you sound like my mom when you say things like that' I felt touched, she spoke about her mom often and I more than once caught her talking to a photograph of her mom. I bet Kyoko was a great person and I wished I would have had the chance to meet her. Tohru patted her cheeks as I prepared a fresh batch of tea. When we entered the living room, Yuki was gone and Arisa looked guilty.

'Tohru, I'm really sorry I shouldn't have brought it up… I know how you miss Orange Top' Arisa said, her eyes reflecting her guilt.

'It is different in here without him' Hana quietly commented. Arisa ran a hand through her hair. 'I guess we all miss him too' she added quietly.

'I'll go talk to Yuki' I whispered in her ear before patting her shoulder and went to seek out the rat of the zodiac.

'Outside' The shadow supplied helpfully.

I slipped outside and closed the sliding door behind me. True enough, Yuki was standing on the porch, his fists clenched as his body seemed to shake.

'Yuki…' I said and he turned around quickly, his eyes unreadable.

'How this stupid cat not realized how much she cares about him, how WE care about him…' He said, glaring off into the distance.

'Do YOU care about him Yuki?' I asked, staring off into the forest along with him. I heard him sigh softly, running a hand through his hair.

'I do, whether you want to or not, he grows on people' Yuki said in an almost fond tone. 'He just doesn't realize how important he is'

'and I don't blame him, from what I've heard so far, he's being shun for being the cat of the zodiac, which is unfair, you cannot base someone's life on a mere folks tale. He used to being ignored and hated and doesn't necessarily see the persons that actually care about him…' I said finally meeting Yuki's eyes. We both took a seat on the porch, watching as the sun gradually lowered itself. There was a pregnant pause.

'This issue will need to be addressed however, since it'll be one of the steps to harmony, we need to solve the issues here before moving to those outside of this house' I finally said, turning to Yuki.' You two will need to communicate and not send fists left and right. I don't expect you to get along right away and be best friends but at least meet half way and try to find a common ground you know? Do it for me? If not for me, for Tohru' Yuki looked thoughtful for a second.

'Ok I'll try' He finally gave in. I beamed and ruffled his hair. 'That's the spirit; now let's go back inside, I'm smelling food on its way'

-Fruits Basket-

'You sure you don't want to sleep with us in the bed? We can always make some room.' Tohru asked for the umpteenth time. I had left the bed to the girls while I took a spare futon to lie on the ground.

'I really don't mind Tohru' I insisted as I braided Hana's long silky hair.

'Ok' she said meekly, as she took the ribbons out of her hair and set them aside on her nightstand.

'Ugh I won't eat for another week, you two are going to be the death of me with all this food' Arisa grunted from the bed while patting her stomach. I and Tohru both giggled. We did our small routine before settling in comfortably. I sighed happily as I curled up, holding my starry sky blanket close.

'Goodnight girls' I said softly, sleep already clawing at the edge of my mind. I heard their small goodnight before falling asleep.

'There's an intruder outside' I heard the shadow hiss, making me sit up straight.

'What?' I asked mentally, already getting up, fully alert. I quietly slipped from the room, making as little noise as possible.

'There's an intruder outside the house' it repeated. I slowly slipped down the stairs and froze when I heard the sound of a sliding door sliding open. I slipped into the kitchen, hoping to grab some kind of weapon. I grabbed a pan that had been set out to dry and held it like a baseball bat. I froze as a shadow suddenly presented itself into kitchen's doorway.

' stay back I'm armed! I growled, raising the pan menacingly.

' hey what the hell' A male voice said and the male came towards me quickly. I lashed out, hitting the person with the pan with a distinct thunk. The person collapsed at my feet. I gasped, scrambling for the lights. I turned them on and stared in shock.

' He has orange hair and crimson eyes…' I vaguely remembered Tohru's descriptions of Kyo. Here he was, knocked unconscious by a frying pan. I quickly fetched a bag of ice, kneeling down beside the orange haired male, pressing the bag of ice gently to the forming bruise, resting his head in my lap.

'Uh uh wha-what happened in here' Shigure came into the doorway of the kitchen blearily, blinking his eyes sleepily. He glanced at the male in my lap and a relieved smile appeared on his face.

'our little runaway is finally home…'


	6. Playful Race

Kyo slowly came to wondering what the hell had happened. He knew that his head hurt like a bitch. Oh right, someone had struck him with a frying pan. He knew the person had been a stranger as well, he had noted that she was female and about the same height as Tohru. He had thought at first that it had been Tohru but the person's voice wasn't the same as well as her scent. While Tohru smelled like strawberries and honey, this person smelled very sweet, so sweet he almost felt his teeth rotting in his mouth sweet.

'Oh my gosh, I didn't mean to hit him, I thought it was a burglar' He heard the foreign voice break through the hazy fog he found himself in, slowly gaining consciousness.

'Don't worry, it takes more than a frying pan to get the best of our little kitty here' he heard Shigure's voice. Oh that damn dog already was making jabs at him and wasn't even awake!

'What happened, I heard noise downstairs, is everything alright Miss Harmony' There was that damn rat. He could recognize his annoying voice anywhere. Wait…Miss Harmony?

'Our little run away is back and Harmony knocked him out because she thought he was a burglar' He heard the dog snicker.

' maybe she knocked some sense into him then' He heard the rat comment snidely' then again, it may damage his brain more than it already is' There was the clearing of a throat.

'Yuki, remember our little chat hmmm?' The feminine voice said sternly and he heard Yuki clears his throat. Ah! Serves him right…wait, was the female actually defending him?

'I'm sorry, I guess it came out on its own, forgive me Miss Harmony, is he going to be alright' that faker rat said.

He felt a soft, gentle hand touch his forehead and he could barely hold back a wince.

'Well it's definitely going to bruise, I feel so bad…' The female said with remorse. Nobody actually felt sorry for hurting him…who was that girl?

He slowly opened his eyes slowly, wincing as the light viciously attacked his cornea.

'Ahh there he is' He heard Shigure say in a baby voice.

'Wait till I'm able to stand you damn mutt…' He threatened as he gritted his teeth as his head pounded.

'Yup personality still intact' Shigure commented with a cheerful note.

'Be careful now, I didn't hit you lightly' The female voice sounded and his eyes snapped up, ruby meeting emerald. The woman was looking down at him with a little smile. He had a clear view of her face. She a heart shaped face with a tiny nose. Her hair reached her chin in a mix of white, black and orange. That's when he realized that his head was laying in her lap. He jerked away quickly making him wince as his head painfully pounded.

'Oh careful there, take it easy' She tried to reach for him but he backed away from her touch, making her frown.

'Don't touch me! Who are you anyway?! The cat hissed.

'She's Harmony, our new housemate Kyo' Shigure said ,as if it was that simple. Kyo whirled around to face him.

'What's up with you and welcoming strange woman in this house?!' Kyo snarled as he got to his feet, his pounding headache momentarily as annoyance poured from him.

'Because who doesn't want to be in my company' The dog said confidently and let out a whine as the dual haired woman tugged at his ear.

'Don't flatter yourself there baka' the woman glared as the dog withered under her powerful grasp.

'You're so mean Harmony' Shigure whined as the woman finally relented her grip from his ear.

'Someone got to keep you in line in here' she sniffed before waving' well now, since this issue is taken care of, I'm heading back to bed, have a nice chat boys' She disappeared down the hallway. The tension suddenly became palpable in the room, suffocating even.

'Oh I'm going to head back to bed too boys, don't break my house please' that coward… Kyo thought as the dog slipped away, leaving the cat and the rat alone. Kyo went to walk past the rat but he was stopped by said rat blocking him with his arm. He felt himself bristled, he just came back and the rat was already looking for a fight? He would gladly give him one.

'Get out of my way you damn rat' Kyo hissed, his crimson eyes boring into Yuki's amethyst.

'Not until you hear what I have to say' Yuki glared back coldly. The cat attempted to push past him the male.

'Like I give a damn about what you have to say!' He growled, his annoyance steadily rising.

' You're an idiot you know that' Yuki snapped as he grabbed the cat's arm, making him bristled even more and violently tug his arm out of the rat's grip.

'Do you know how much you made Tohru worry over your absence?' The words made him freeze in place. He stopped in his track' How WE were worried about you' He added. Wait We?

'Yes you heard me right stupid cat, we, as in me, Shigure and everyone else. Despise what you think, what you believe, there are people who cares about you in this house.' Kyo couldn't believe his ears. He felt at loss…People cared for him? He knew Tohru cared, but he didn't expect the rat to.

'Do you know how many times I saw Miss Honda stand on the back porch, waiting for you to come back? How many scenarios she thought up? That I thought up? She didn't mean to hurt you when she chose me and I didn't want to hurt you either, she blamed herself countless times when you left.' The words the rat uttered struck him right in the heart. He chuckled sadly, his eyes looking everywhere but at Yuki.

'How come I didn't expect less from her…?' He said bitterly, all his anger being replaced with remorse and guilt. He finally met the rat's eyes. He saw no anger, no reprimand but sadness.

'Because you can't see how important you are in her eyes, in our eyes' Yuki said softly as he paused beside the saddened cat. He hesitantly raised his hand which made the cat flinch. The purple haired male gently patted his shoulder.

'Welcome home…Kyo' He muttered softly before brushing past him and up the stairs, leaving Kyo looking after him in shock. He had called him by his name…

-Fruits Basket-

I sneaked out of the room as the girls still snored away. I had dressed up in my running attire and got ready for my morning run. I guess my old habit of going jogging with Rainbow Dash hasn't died down, despise me being extremely lazy at times. I'd wake up early, just a bit before the sun rise and I'd go have a nice refreshing trek through the woods. I went to the kitchen for a long drink of water before my run. I stepped into the kitchen and saw Kyo drinking from the milk carton. He seemed to be in running attire too, well I thought so. He had a tank top and loose fitting pants. I cleared my throat and he promptly choked on his mouthful of milk.

'Hey, don't startle me like that' He coughed as he wiped at his mouth with the back of his hand. I frowned in sympathy.

'Sorry I didn't mean to' I said as I reached into the fridge and retrieve a water bottle. I uncapped it, stepping aside as Kyo went to put the milk carton back into the fridge. I saw the nasty bruise peek through his hair. I grimaced. He caught me looking at him and scowled.

'Watcha lookin at?' He snapped. I paused mid drink, my brow furrowing in concern.

'The bruise on your forehead, I'm really sorry…' I said and he huffed turning away.

'I'm over it, anyway what are you doing up this early?' He asked, changing the subject.

'I'm going for my morning run, what about you?' I asked, refilling the bottle once it was empty and putting it back in the fridge so I would have nice cold water when I come back.

'I was heading for a run too' He said nonchalantly, heading out to the living room, opening the sliding doors, letting in the crisp morning breeze. I clearly saw the bags under his eyes, had he slept at all last night? I did hear Yuki talk to him but I didn't make out all the words.

'Did you get any sleep? You did come in late…' I said as I hoped down the porch and started my stretching.

'I didn't sleep a wink, why do you care' Ok, his negative attitude was starting to get to me.

'Geez don't be such a sourpuss, I was only trying to help…' I found myself saying. I choked on my words as they came out of my mouth. Ok, what was up with me and being a total bitch these days? I often caught myself saying little comments like that lately. I saw him gap at me and immediately regretted it. He was going to leave or worse, yell at me some more.

'I'm sorry' He said stiffly, as if apologizing hurt him physically. Well Tohru did tell me that he always had a hard time saying he was sorry, but always manage to do little gestures or actions that made up for it.

'I guess I'm kind of cranky from the lack of sleep that's all' He excused, rubbing the back of his neck, his eyes refusing to meet mine. I offered a smile.

'Hey, wanna race?' I asked, changing the subject and I saw the relieve look on his face' Loser makes breakfast' A smirk lit up his face, a competitive appearing in his eyes. Wow… That made him look even more handsome…What?

'Eh! That's a deal, prepare yourself to make a 5 stars breakfast because I'm not gonna go easy on you because you're a girl' He smirked which I gave right back.

'Oh you don't have to worry about that kitten, I can hold my own just fine' I said, getting in position, almost laughing as he bristled at the nickname.

'Oh you're on now woman' He growled, mirroring my position.

' 3.2.1 Go!' We both darted off.

-Fruits Basket-

'H-how…did…you…do…that? I lost like an amateur' Kyo asked in disbelief as he panted, bended over with his hands on his knees. I panted as well, sitting down on the ground to take a breather.

'Eh! That's my secret' I said mysteriously with a smile. I will give him some time before telling him my story.

' want me to help you with breakfast?' I asked good naturedly.

'No you won fair and square imma do breakfast on my own' He insisted as we stepped inside. I took my now cold water bottle from the fridge and took hearty gulps as Kyo started to take out the things to make breakfast.

'I'm going to go shower, don't burn anything' I teased as I walked out of the kitchen. I heard him clang pans and pots around. I giggled to myself, maybe this could be the start of a tentative friendship between me and the cat.


	7. I'll win the fight for you babe

I slinked back downstairs after my shower. I heard loud voices coming from the living room. I stopped at the doorway and admired the tender scene.

They all had surrounded Kyo, at respectable distance of course. Uo seemed to be teasing him and was ruffling his hair. Tohru was crying and Yuki was watching fondly. Our eyes temporarily met when he glanced up. I offered a small smile. I went to leave them to their little moment when Tohru called out to me. I caught her when she almost tackled me into a hug, her tears rapidly soaking my shirt.

''You were right! He came back, I'm so happy'' I chuckled, patting her head.

''Didn't I tell you'' I said softly and she pulled away with a 'mhm' and a bright smile on her face.

''So Kitty, what did you make for breakfast? I'm ready to be impressed'' I teased and grinned as the cat visibly bristled at the nickname.

''Don't call me that!'' He shouted, cat ears appearing on his head.

-Fruits Basket-

I made a round of the cupboards and fridge to see what was missing, we did have one more mouth to feed now so some shopping had to be made. I wrote everything down on a small piece of paper, since I couldn't remember everything we needed by heart and I was most likely to forget everything half way in my shopping.

''You sure you don't want me to go with you?'' Tohru asked for the umpteenth time. I rolled my eyes good naturedly.

''it's my turn to get the groceries and yes I'm sure I can carry them myself, don't you worry'' I patted her head for good measure then pocketed the list.

''I'll be off now'' I announced loudly as I made my way to the front door.

''Oh wait for us, we were just about to leave too'' Uo said as she peeked her blond head out of the living room. I slid on my shoes and waited for the girls.

''It's good to have you back Orange Top'' Uo said sincerely, gently knocking Kyo on the chin with her knuckles. I heard him mumble something and look away.

''Have a safe trip back'' Tohru said as she was hugged by her two friends. I felt a pang of envy in my heart at the sight. To say me and the mane 6 used to be this close knitted. I looked away, opening the door to step out.

''I won't be long'' I called to Tohru and the three of us were off. We walked in silence until Uo spoke up.

''You know, Tohru admires you a lot'' The blond spoke up as she looked at me, running a hand through her hair to push back her bangs.

''Uh?'' I tilted my head curiously.

''She talks about you a lot and she sees you as a big sister'' At one point we just stopped walking. I looked at the ex-Yankee in surprise. Tohru admired me?

''I'm actually glad she has an older female role model in her life, she often tells us how you remind her of Kyoko with your wise sayings and all. We just wanted to thank for being there for her'' She…she saw me as a role model? How could I even influence her? I didn't do anything special, the only thing I did so far was have break downs and a huge emotional baggage. I actually felt bad every time they had to comfort me. I noticed Hana's eyes boring into the side of my head.

''Oh there we are girls'' I announced as we reached the super market, trying to smooth over the tense atmosphere.

''I hope I'll see you soon, I'll make sure to have Tohru deliver you some cookies as soon as I make some'' I promised and Uo made a pained noise.

''Oh please don't'' she begged but I knew in her tone of voice that she wasn't serious. I giggled as I walked into the store.

-Fruits Basket-

They all sat at the table with some tea, waiting for Harmony to come back

'' so…Whats up with this Harmony chick?'' Kyo asked tentatively as everyone paused.

''She arrived here kind of like our dear Tohru did, sick and homeless'' He held back a flinch at the way Yuki glared at him after that.

'' She wasn't that sick after all, but does have a dark mark on her chest that she mostly keeps concealed, she wouldn't talk to us about it'' Shigure continued, tucking his hands into his sleeves.

''And it not up to us to be nosy and push her to tell us'' Yuki retorted, eyeing his dark haired cousin. Kyo caught Tohru looking down at her cup pensively, her fingers gently rubbing its side.

'' Harmony became…like a big sister to me, even if she hasn't been with us for long,'' She started with a small smile''Always watching out for us, bringing me my lunch at school when I forget to bring it,'' She giggled at the memory of the young woman coming to their school and chasing off Yuki's fan club. '' she obviously has a big emotional baggage but all the little things she does for us, we can't help but give them back to her, even if she thinks she doesn't deserve it''

Kyo looked up at that in surprise.

''Tohru's right, I see the pain in her eyes when she thinks we're not looking, she thinks she has to battle her inner demons by herself.'' Yuki said quietly, his own eyes riveted on his cup.

''Reminds me of someone'' Shigure commented calmly, Kyo could feel his eyes bore into the side of his head. The woman seemed so lively, acting playful with them, smiling all the time. Who could've of guessed that her mind was in shambles, thoughts distorted with doubt and maybe self-hatred.

'' I hope that one day,'' Tohru began'' She'll let us do things for her, that she will open her heart fully to us and that she realizes that she has a beautiful plum on her back.'' Tohru smiled her eyes on Kyo. It was their own inside joke. He remembered that day perfectly. The two others males looked on in confusion.

''A plum?'' They both questioned. Tohru giggled even harder as Kyo blushed.

''Stop giggling like an idiot!'' Kyo cried. Man it was good to be home.

-Fruits Basket-

I was at loss, I felt like baking yet again but what? I had been standing in front of the flour for 5 minutes now and I still had no ideas.

''Seems like I'll just forget it for this time'' I pouted to myself. I jumped when I felt someone touch my arm. I turned quickly took in the sight of the man that had his hand up in the air. The one that had touched me. He dropped his hand, his passive grey eyes regarding me apprehensively. Who was this dude? He had white hair but he seemed to have a black under tone. He wore a long coat and was mostly wearing black.

''Can I, help you?'' I asked tentatively, holding onto my basket tightly.

''I've seen you before''He suddenly said, his voice holding a deep, pleasant tone. My brows furrowed in confusion. I definitely didn't remember him, if I ever saw that guy…

''Uh Ok?'' I said turning to walk away but he gently grasped my sleeve. I felt myself bristle. Oh hell no that I was going to be harassed while I did my god damn groceries.

''I saw you at the main house'' He said calmly as I eyed him wearily. I could see some people stopping to watch us. The main house... ooooh that house. The Devil's den. Then the guy must be…

'I'm Haru Sohma, you must be Harmony' He introduced and I felt myself relax. Oh I was so stupid; Tohru had already told me about him. He was part of the zodiac as well but she didn't tell me which, she wanted me to guess, silly Tohru.

''Oh yes, Tohru's schoolmate and Yuki and Kyo's cousin'' I said, slowly catching on. I felt silly about being so forgetful sometimes. He nodded, yet not letting go of my sleeve.

''What are you doing here?'' I asked as I tried to come up with a good recipe of cake. Maybe I could try angel cake? Or maybe lava cake, I haven't tried that one yet.

''I got lost…'' He said simply. I turned to look at him. For someone who was lost, he didn't seem worried about it; he had the most neutral expression I had ever seen. He reminded me of Maud.

''Where were you heading'' I asked as I picked out the ingredients for the lava cake.

''Shigure's house'' He answered as I grabbed a package of chocolate chips. He eyed each item in confusion.

''Well you're in luck, that's where I'm going'' I said smiling, slowly making my way to the cash register. He still grasped my sleeve like a child. I didn't feel like asking why, so I just let him keep a hold of me while we went over the items. People eyed us weirdly but sincerely I couldn't care less.

He kept on grasping my sleeve until we exited the store where he let go.

'' here let me carry some of them for you'' He said, taking a few bags from hands, completely ignoring my protests.

-Fruits Basket-

'I'm back! I've brought a visitor!' I called as I stepped inside, toeing off my shoes.

'' Welcome back! Oh hello Haru!'' Tohru's ever faithful response resounded in the hall as she peeked her head out of the living room.

''Lo'' Haru greeted casually, nodding his head.

'This nice gentleman here helped me carry my bags, even though I insisted he didn't' I said as we made our way to the kitchen with our bags.

''I got lost…'' He explained as Tohru sweat dropped.

''Oh hello Haru'' Yuki said calmly as he appeared in the kitchen's doorway, most likely coming to help put away the groceries. Haru seemed to zone out and went to cling to Yuki's shirt with his fist. I raised a questioning eyebrow at Tohru who was only smiling. I shook my head; people were weird in this family.

''Are you staying over for dinner Haru?'' I questioned as I wrote Kyo's name on one of the milk cartons I had bought with a sharpie, if he was to drink from it, he would have his own. I put both milk cartons into the fridge. I kept all the ingredients for the lava cake on the counter while I put the other things away in the cupboards.

''Sure, I did come all the way here'' He said, trailing after Yuki as the teen went to the living room.

''Can I help you with anything?'' Tohru asked meekly.

''Nope out! Out scoot!,'' I said, trying to chase her out as she protested. ''But I feel so useless let me help you'' She insisted, her wide eyes looking at me. Oh no not the puppy eyes.

''Nope out' I ordered, threatening her with a wooden spoon. She squeaked as I slapped her butt with it and went to join the boys.

-Fruits Basket-

Tohru sat down at the table with the boys with a slight pout. Yuki smiled, trying not to laugh at the display, it wasn't rare to see Harmony chase Tohru out of the kitchen. To make things easier on the teen, Harmony had taken half of her chores and they often took turns for cooking and when it was Harmony's turn, she often chased Tohru out, much to the girl's dismay.

''I've heard…some good and bad things about her'' Haru finally spoke up, leaning on the table, supporting himself with his elbow. His eyes were riveted to the busy female in the kitchen as she seemed to be in her own world, deeply concentrated on her task. Yuki's eyes snapped to the dual haired teen. The cow leaned his chin on his hand.

''Is it true that she can break the curse?'' He questioned, his eyes meeting Yuki's. They knew that the woman was trying so hard. If she wasn't with them or baking, she was either with Shigure or writing things down in a notebook on the back porch, pencil holding up her short hair. In those times, balls of paper would surround her; she would often rip out pages, ball them up then throw them over her shoulder. Her frustration was clear. Yuki didn't know what she was writing in there, but he never pried, it wasn't any of his business.

''I'm sure she will be able to'' Tohru chirped enthusiastically, her eyes sparkling, holding a deep admiration for the woman already. Yuki kind of did also.

Haru hummed in response, his expression unreadable. He did seem thoughtful maybe even skeptical about the whole thing. They had dreamed of this day for years now, even when they had the slightest clue of how they could end all this, it evaded them, only leaving misery behind. Each time…they believed less and less, finally accepting the fact that this curse would stick to them forever.

''Oy what's the gloomy atmosphere about?''Harmony called from the doorway, holding up a tray of tea. They all snapped out of it, startled by the woman's loud voice. She was all dirty, as always. She had chocolate on her cheeks; she probably had flour in her hair. Her hands and arms were also covered and her apron did very little to protect her from her own clumsiness.

''Eeeehhh! Harmony you're all dirty!'' Tohru exclaimed, standing up with a napkin and cleaned the older woman's face with it. She didn't resist, letting Tohru have her motherly moment. She shook out her hair, some flour falling out and fell like snow upon her shoulders.

''Don't you know how to bake properly? Looks like a 5 year old came in here'' He heard Kyo grouch from the kitchen.

'Oy don't insult me or no lava cake for you 'Harmony threatened as she turned, Tohru gently plucking the tray from her hand and went to set it on the coffee table.

''Tch, like I care'' Kyo retorted. Harmony seemed to take Kyo's attitude in stride, far less affected by it then Tohru would be. Her on the other hand seemed to make playful jabs at him.

''Now whose the 5 year old sour puss' Harmony remarked' need a widdle nappy time kitty?'' He heard her say. There was no sarcasm, no mean under tone, just another playful jab.

''Hey! Don't talk to me like I'm 5 damn it!''Kyo hissed as the dual haired woman blew a childish raspberry at him.

''Go sit with your widdle friend now Kyo'' She teased as he huffily stepped into the living room, doing his best to ignore her. He plopped down on the porch, his back to them. Yuki rubbed his forehead. It sure did get suddenly noisy in here…

''Kyo…Your back'' Haru commented and the cat turned around, finally noticing the dual haired male.

''Yeah, what of it…'' He said, turning back around. Haru allowed a small smile to break his neutral façade; a fleeting look of relief was directed the cat's way. Tohru served up the tea happily, their hands brushing as she handed him his cup. She blushed and looked away. Yuki chuckled softly, before reaching to grasp her hand when she finally set the tea kettle down. Her blush came back full force, dusting her cheeks so beautifully. Yuki felt eyes boring into him and he looked up, his eyes meeting Kyo's briefly before the cat's eyes darted to their joined hands. He huffed and looked away. They felt the tension rise off the cat in waves, making things suddenly even more awkward then they already were.

'' yay! I found some cookies from 2 days ago in the pantry, they'll go well with the tea,'' The woman cheered, proudly holding a plate full of cookies.'' I could of sworn there was more but I think there's a little mouse going around in here stealing them'' She winked at Yuki who blushed, looking away. Her pastries were his weakness…

''Well I always see Yuki sneak in here and leave with a few of them'' Shigure said, suddenly making an appearance. The rat blushed even harder'' Shigure'' He mumbled in embarrassment.

''What? You're not the only one with a weak resolve when it comes to our dear Harmony's baking''

Did he mention that she made puns about them? He knew that it was all in good fun though. She giggled setting the plate on the table and Haru eyed them in interest. He reached out and took one, biting into it tentatively. Harmony looked on eagerly. She loved getting feedbacks, positive or negative.

''Hmm'' Haru hummed, no real expressions appearing on his face. Harmony kept her emerald gaze on the cow as he ate the entire cookie. He then turned to the dual haired woman.

''Marry me'' He said calmly.

''Eeeehhh!'' Everyone exclaimed.

-Fruits Basket-

I blushed and let out a nervous laugh as I rubbed the back of my head.

''Aw shucks sugar cube you can't be serious'' I giggled shyly. Man in this family all held a certain charm didn't they. Haru grabbed my hand.

''Oh but I am'' He said perfectly calm, his face serious.

''Leave her be you perverted cow!'' Kyo shouted, hitting the male behind the head, startling me. Wait, cow? Ooooh I had a nagging suspicion that he would be the cow, if his hair gave anything away.

''You didn't have to hit him though…'' I commented weakly, eyeing the still form in front of me, he didn't hit him that hard did he? He then began to shake. Oh my, was he alright?

''Umm Haru? You alright?'' I questioned, reaching to touch the teen's shoulder but Yuki pulled me back.

''you better take your distances Miss Harmony, you won't like what happens next…'' Yuki trailed off as the dual haired teen stood up slowly, a dark aura suddenly appearing around him.

''Oh little stray kitty wants to play uh?' He murmured darkly, his tone of voice taking a mocking turn. What…the hell? Fists went flying before I could blink. Haru was sent flying through the rice paper door, effectively breaking it to pieces.

I gaped in shock, staring as both male yelled at each other.

'Time to take this fight back where we left it kitty cat!' Haru taunted, clearly egging on the pissed cat.

'Don't call me that!' Kyo cried from the porch, cat ears and tail popping up in his annoyance. I looked at everyone and no one made a move to stop the upcoming fight. Tohru did fret about it though, looking on as cat and cow yelled at each other back and forth.

''Whoa whoa whoa! Hey,'' I yelled getting between the two enraged males. ''No fighting! Did you see what you did to the freaking door, geez calm your hormones'' Both of them were breathing heavily, their fists raised, bodies coiled to attack at any moment. I was suddenly hugged from behind.

''Don't worry babe, I'll win the fight just for you' Haru whispered into my ear seductively. His hand slowly ghosted up my stomach to rest on my…

''Oh hell no pervert!'' I cried, pushing him away and slapped him on the cheek swiftly. I heard the group behind me gasp.

''Oh babe, I like it when your rough"His voice practically dripping sex. I blushed hard but shook my head.

''Eh I'll show you rough, you wanna fight? Come here," I growled, getting into a fighting stance. "I may not know martial arts but I have my share of battle experience" Haru smirked, letting out a sarcastic laugh. What was with this boy? Yuki was right about me not liking what was coming up next.

"Now now, I don't want to hurt you, I don't want to damage that pretty face of yours' He said, taking slow steps towards me.

"Moo!" I mooed and he froze in place. He narrowed his eyes.

'Watcha just say to me?' He asked, clenching his fists.

'I said, Moo' I repeated, smirking. He took back his battle stance.

'Oh you're on now girly!' he cried lunging towards me. We both butted head. I grunted, this hurts more when I'm human…

' That's enough get ahold of yourself, where did the sweet part of you go!?' I growled, as kept his hands from touching me. My head was starting to hurt; butting head hadn't been a good idea after all. He suddenly retreating, making me fall forward on my knees. I quickly kicked out, landing a hit in his stomach making him double over as he lost his breath

"Harmony!" Tohru cried, moving in to help "No! Stay where you are Tohru, I've got it…handled"I said as I approached the raging bull cautiously. He charged. Oh shit! I barely manage to dodge his flurry of blows. Good thing I was trained, because otherwise, I would have been toasted.

"Ok that's enough" I panted, bracing myself as he charged again. I managed to dodge to the side and get behind him. I grabbed him from behind. I knew exactly what to do to calm the raging bull…

-Flashback-

I remember when I once accompanied AJ to a rodeo tournament. There had been rodeo and pig and cow catching. I had found it a bit weird since well, they were one of us, the cows here could speak and were generally good-natured and really nice.

'Um AJ isn't this wrong?' I had asked, frowning as they seemed to be putting calves in the pen.

' oh don't worry your pretty little head sugar cube, they know what their getting themselves into, it's their job' AJ had reassured, showing how the mother of the little calf seemed to be praising her child.

' Ya can do it my little Timmy, show em ponies what ya can do' she cheered on.

'Wanna go and try it out, here what ya have ta do' AJ whispered the instructions in my ear.

-End Flashback-

The flashback made my heart pinch painfully but I knew what to do.

"Grasp him firmly first, really importan'" I heard AJ's instructions resound in my head. I wrapped my arms around his waist, making sure to hold his arms against his sides. He struggled of course, stomping and grunting.

"Second, throw him off balance" She had instructed. He did that part for me though. He reared his head back and I dodged but lost my balance . I landed on my back with him on top. I grunted as his weight crushed me.

"Then you immobilize him with this rope' She had given me a rope but in this case, the ropes would be my arms and legs. I wrapped my legs around his chest and my arms around his neck and squeeze.

"That's…uh…enough now' I panted as I held him still, my heart pounding in my chest. He stopped struggling and went limp, making me slightly worried.

' Uh? What happened?' Haru asked, blinking slowly as if he had pulled himself out of his rage. I slowly let him go and he sat up, rubbing his head. Did he really have no conscience of what just happened?!

' whaaaa?' I said in disbelief, looking back at the group, who were staring in shock, nobody had moved ever since the beginning of the fight. The three cursed males looked at me in surprise. Tohru seemed amazed and scared at the same time. I plopped back onto my back on the grass with a huff.

'I have a headache' I mumbled.

-Fruits Basket-

"Here, some cookies to bring to Momiji, I heard through the grape vine that he loves them" I said handing a nicely wrapped package full of cookies to Haru. The evening had gone quite smoothly aside from Haru's black side appearance. They had explained Black Haru to me and I found it quite particular but I guess everyone in this family had their own particular little quirks and that, made them endearing in a way. I found that I got along well with cow of the zodiac; he was an easy to talk to person and we had a great time. Shigure after dinner had went back to his office, Kyo went on the roof and I had relented when Yuki and Tohru had offered to do the dishes. I knew it was their little intimate moment so I let them be.

"Sorry for what I said to you earlier by the way, I didn't mean it…" I said in embarrassment, rubbing my arm.

"That surprised me that you were able to speak cow but hey no hard feelings, I wasn't myself, but tell me, how did you know how to immobilize a cow?" He asked curiously as he slid on his coat.

"Rodeo, me and my friend used to go to rodeos together and she once showed me how" I explained, the painful pinch making itself known once again.

"Ah" He answered plainly as he opened the door.

'Oh Haru' I called after him. He paused, turning to look over his shoulder. I handed him a piece of paper. He looked at it in confusion.

"It's my cellphone number, if you ever get lost; call me, no hesitation k?' I said smiling. He eyed it before pocketing it with a small smile. He waved over his shoulder and I shook my head at the passive cow.

-Fruits Basket-

I grunted, once again balling up the piece of paper and threw it over my shoulder. Everyone was asleep, the house becoming eerily quiet. I had felt restless, so instead of rolling around in bed, I went outside to write some notes. I reached for my packet of cigarettes. I know, I know it's bad, I can't even imagine what Tohru would do if she knew. I took one between my lips and lit it with a magical flame. I inhaled deeply, holding it for a few seconds then blew it out through my nose. This curse thing was making my head hurt, but I wanted to try real hard for them. I wouldn't give up just yet. I startled out of my musing, almost dropping my cigarette when my cellphone rang, ringing a happy jingle. I answered it.

"Hello" I said, who could be calling me at this time.

" I'm lost" The person on the other end said simply. I chuckled, putting the cellphone between my ear and shoulder as I gathered my things and cleaned up my mess.

"Where are you now?" I asked, my tone sounding like a scolding mother.

" In town…" That boy had no sense of direction…

" Ok stay where you are, I'm coming" I said then hung up, stubbing my cigarette in the dirt and threw it into the ashtray.

"He's not far from here" The shadow supplied helpfully and I teleported near the supermarket. I looked around, trying to pin point his location. The closer I got, the more I felt his presence. I finally saw him leaning against the wall.

"Haru!' I called, trotting over to him. He looked at me in surprise then at his cellphone.

"I didn't take you long" He commented plainly. I offered a nervous laugh. He looked down "Nice PJ by the way" I jumped and looked down at myself. Oh, I forgot to change, oh well.

"Let's bring you back before your parents get worried" I said, slowly walking towards the Dem…ahem… the Sohma main house.

"I never expected tonight to be this peaceful to be honest" Haru broke the silence after a little while. "Especially after Kyo being back and all, it was like, as if he came to fill in the missing gap that was created when he left" Haru looked thoughtful, his eyes staring right ahead. I never asked why Kyo left, I felt as if it wasn't my business. They would tell me in time, they had their own demons to take care of.

"Tohru really missed him," I said softly, remembering her happy smile on the day Kyo had come back." But I have a nagging suspicious she wasn't the only one" I said softly, looking at Haru. A small smile graced his face.

"You're not wrong, most of us did" Haru admitted, running a hand through his hair. There was a peaceful silence before we finally got to destination, although we stopped at the corner. No way I'd go any closer to that god damn place.

"You going to be ok to get to the door?" I teased with a grin and Haru chuckled genuinely.

"Cheeky, see ya around Harmony" He said, ruffling my hair and walked off with his hands in his pockets. Once he was out of sight, I teleported back to the house. I glanced at my notepad, gently picking it up. I clutched it to my chest. The more zodiac I met, the more I wanted to help them. Those wonderful people deserved happiness and I would give everything for them to have it. I looked up at the moon that was eerily peeking out of the clouds.

"I will do it Luna, I'll break their curse and make them happy" I vowed, holding my notebook to my chest.

Little did I know that the words carried out to a certain kitty cat that was sitting on the roof.


End file.
